Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 1).djvu/13

to commerce by his conquests—The spread of knowledge—His march
into India—Preparations for the voyage down the Indus—Departure
of his fleet from Nicæa, B.C. 326—Description of the vessels employed—Progress
of the fleet—Establishment of new cities on the
banks of the Indus—Character of the vessels engaged on the voyage
from the Indus to Susa—Time occupied—Future voyages—Death of
Alexander, B.C. 323—Eastern India—Ceylon—Internal commerce of
India—Manufactures of India—State of the trade of India from the
sixth to the ninth century—Change in the course of trade—Persian
trade with India—The Muhammedans, A.D. 622—The extent of
their commerce with the East—The trade between Constantinople
and India and China Pages 122-161


CHAPTER VI.

Rome—The repugnance of the Romans to seafaring pursuits—Single-banked
galleys of the Liburni—The fleets of Rome—Their creation
and slow progress—The form and construction of their galleys—War
with the pirates of Cilicia—First treaty with Carthage, B.C. 509—Its
purport—College of merchants, established B.C. 494—No senator
allowed to own ships, B.C. 226—Cicero's opinion of merchants—Contempt
for mariners—Reduction of Egypt, B.C. 30, and trade with
India—Customs' duties—The excise—Bounties on the importation
of corn, A.D. 14—System of collecting the taxes—Value of the trade
with Alexandria—Its extent—Vessels of Spain—Pharos or lighthouse
at Gessoriacum—The shipping described by Tacitus—Rhodians—Their
maritime laws—System of accounts in use at Rome—The
corn trade of the city—Port of Ostia 162-189


CHAPTER VII.

Roman empire—The cause of its decline—First invasion of Goths,
A.D. 217—Their habits—Defeat the Emperor Decius, A.D. 257—Rebellion
of Egypt, A.D. 273—Franks and Allemanni—The Veneti on
the coast of Gaul—Constantinople founded, A.D. 323—Its commercial
advantages and harbour—The extent of its ancient trade—Black
Sea and Sea of Azov—Oppressive taxation—The laws affecting
shipping—Constans and Julian—Produce of certain lands applied
to the sea service—Neglect and decline of commerce, and sufferings
of the people—Siege of Rome by Alaric and the Goths, A.D. 408—Genseric—His
capture of Rome—Rise of Constantinople—Customs'
duties—Silk trade—Naval expedition of Justinian against the Vandals,
A.D. 533, and conquest of Carthage—Rise of the Muhammedan
power, A.D. 622—Rapid conquests; of Jerusalem, A.D. 636; of Alexandria,
A.D. 638; and of Africa, A.D. 647—Sieges of Constantinople,
A.D. 668-675 190-221